The Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, accompanied by a high-level delegation, visited the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) on Friday, 29 May 2026, to assess Ghana’s preparedness and readiness measures in response to the emerging Ebola situation in parts of Africa.
The visit formed part of a broader assessment of the country’s surveillance, detection, and response systems. Prior to arriving at NMIMR, the delegation toured Kotoka International Airport to evaluate screening and monitoring measures at one of Ghana’s key points of entry.
At NMIMR, the delegation received briefings on the Institute’s laboratory capacity, diagnostic capabilities, and emergency response mechanisms. Discussions focused on the country’s ability to rapidly detect and confirm suspected Ebola cases and support public health interventions should the need arise.
Addressing the media, the Minister of Health underscored the critical role of NMIMR in Ghana’s disease surveillance and outbreak response architecture.
“At the end of the day, this is one of the places where a case can be detected because the samples are brought here and undergo sequencing. We have had extensive discussions and are convinced that the laboratories are fully ready to undertake the necessary work should any case be detected,” he stated.
Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister of Health, addresses the media during a visit to NMIMR to assess Ghana’s Ebola preparedness.
The Director of NMIMR, Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, assured the Minister and the public that the Institute remains fully prepared to support the country’s response efforts.
“The Institute is ever ready to support the country should we detect any case. We have the expertise, reagents, equipment, and the necessary systems in place to respond effectively,” she said.
She highlighted the establishment of a dedicated Sample Receipt Centre at the Institute, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), which enables the safe receipt, handling, and dispatch of samples to laboratories for testing. She further noted that additional reagents had already been procured to ensure uninterrupted testing capacity should demand increase.
The Director emphasized that NMIMR’s extensive experience in the diagnosis and management of infectious disease outbreaks, coupled with its highly skilled workforce and advanced laboratory infrastructure, positions the Institute to effectively support national response efforts.
Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, Director of NMIMR, briefs the Minister and delegation on the Institute’s laboratory capacity and readiness to support Ebola detection and response.
Also speaking during the visit, the WHO Country Representative, Dr. Fiona Braka, explained that the assessment aligns with recommendations under the International Health Regulations for countries that have not recorded cases but must remain vigilant and prepared.
She commended the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, Port Health authorities, and NMIMR for the measures already being implemented to strengthen readiness.
“What we have witnessed today, from the airport to the Noguchi Memorial Institute, demonstrates that the necessary preparedness actions are underway. Mechanisms for screening travellers, infection prevention and control measures, and laboratory diagnostic capacities are in place and continue to be strengthened,” she said.
Dr. Braka reminded the public that Ebola remains a serious disease and called on Ghanaians to remain vigilant by practising good hand hygiene, understanding the symptoms of the disease, and promptly seeking medical attention when necessary.
Dr. Fiona Braka, WHO Country Representative, highlights global preparedness recommendations and commends Ghana’s readiness measures.
The visit highlighted the strong collaboration among the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, the World Health Organization, Port Health authorities, and NMIMR in safeguarding public health. It also reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to maintaining a high level of preparedness to rapidly detect, diagnose, and respond to any potential Ebola threat.
As Ghana’s leading biomedical research institution and a key national reference laboratory, NMIMR continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening the country’s health security through research, diagnostics, surveillance, and outbreak response.
